The Kasarwadawali police Station in Thane on Saturday night arrested six persons hailing from Jammu and Kashmir, who were allegedly employed as watchmen by a local private security agency, for illegal possession of 25 rifles that were seized from them.

The arrested accused were booked under the Arms Act and produced before a magistrate court, where they were remanded to police custody till September 19. They have been identified as Shafiq Aslam Khan( 21), Fazail Ahmed alais Danish Khan( 20), Majeed Farid Khan (21), Mazhar Husain Mohammed Khan( 21), Ashfaq Mohammed Aslam Khan (30) and Mohammed Shafiq Mohammed Khan 28.

The 25 rifles are valued at a total cost of Rs 6.25 lakh.

“During interrogation, one of the six accused, Mazhar Husain Mohammed Khan, said that he bought the guns from Gulzar Khan from Kashmir on August 28. We are now trying to trace Gulzar Khan to further investigate the case. All the six accused were produce in Thane court on Sunday,” said an officer from Kasarwadawali police station.

According to the police, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Wagle estate division,V B Chandanshive received a tip-off, following which a team from Kasarvadavli police station conducted a raid on Saturday night at Room no.10, first floor, Tukai chawl on Ghodbunder road, Thane, where the accused were residing in a rented flat.

“On a tip-off, we conducted the raid and arrested six men employed with a security agency. We have seized 25 guns of 12 bore. During interrogation, the accused revealed that they brought the guns from Jammu and Kashmir. They claim that the guns are licensed from Kashmir and brought for security purpose. But at present, we have not found any relevant documents for the same,” said Chandansive.

He added, “They claim that the guns were brought some 20 days ago to Thane. Further investigation in the case is underway.”